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Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art acknowledges it resides on the ancestral territory of the Osage, Kaw, and Otoe-Missouria, among other tribal nations forcibly moved to the region such as the Shawnee, Wyandot, Delaware, Potawatomi, Sac and Fox and Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo) nations. We recognize and support the continued vibrancy of Native communities and cultures today who continue to thrive, as well as the inherent sovereignty of tribal nations. We are compelled to serve and advocate for these communities in accordance with our public mission.

Kemper Museum acknowledges and respects the diversity of Native people connected to this land today. Many recognize the land and all beings who live within it as relatives. We acknowledge the earth we inhabit, the waters of the Blue River, the Kansas River, the Missouri River, and the plants, animals, and people supported by them. 

We acknowledge our responsibility to be good caretakers of the land we occupy. 

Click here to learn more about our land acknowledgment process.

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The works featured in Lie. Sit. Stand. Be Still. suggest slowness, contemplation, silence, and rest.

Lie. Sit. Stand. Be Still.

Lie. Sit. Stand. Be Still. will be on view August 28, 2026, through July 25, 2027. The exhibition will be presented in two parts, with a second rotation of artworks going on view February 5, 2027.

The works featured in Lie. Sit. Stand. Be Still. suggest slowness, contemplation, silence, and rest. Referencing a 1995 portfolio in the Kemper Museum’s collection, which include poetry by Michael McClure and lithographs by Robert Graham, Lie. Sit. Stand. Be Still. offers an invitation to the viewer. States of rest and pause are referenced and/or encouraged throughout the exhibition with figurative works from the Kemper Museum’s collection alongside meditative abstractions and imagery. This exhibition emphasizes restoration and temporal liminality as key to the human experience, both necessary and sublime.

The exhibition is organized by Amy Kligman, Independent Curator.

Dean Mitchell, Release Me, 1991. Oil on Masonite, 30 x 44 inches. Collection of the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, Missouri. 1997.06.01. © Dean Mitchell. Photo: Dan Wayne.

Release Me

Cheonae Kim, Murmur, 2014. Acrylic and graphite on canvas, 30 1/8 x 30 inches. Collection of the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, Missouri. Gift of the artist in honor of her parents and Zolla Lieberman Gallery. 2014.16. © Cheonae Kim. 

Murmur

Leonard Pryor, Relaxing, 1958. Oil on canvas, 30 x 23½ inches. Collection of the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, Missouri. Gift of Renée Pryor Newton and Craig Pryor in loving memory of their parents Leonard and Maxine Pryor. 2022.1.4. © Renée Pryor Newton and Craig Pryor. Photo: E. G. Schempf, 2022.  

Relaxing

Harry Callahan (b. 1912, Detroit, Michigan–d. Atlanta, Georgia) Eleanor, Indiana, 1948 gelatin silver print on paper 4½ x 4½ inches 20 7/8 x 16 7/8 x 1½ in. framed Gift of Susan and Peter MacGill, Pace/MacGill Gallery, New York, 1995.091.01. art and photo © The Estate of Harry Callahan, courtesy Pace Gallery

Featured Artworks

Embrace slowness, mindfulness, and restoration through Move/Be Still, a mind and body series at Kemper Museum, drawing inspiration from themes in featured exhibition, Lie. Sit. Stand. Be Still.
Join us for Move: Outdoor Yoga with Joy Monzón followed by a gallery visit of current exhibition, Lie. Sit. Stand. Be Still. Joy Monzón is a yoga educator and community practitioner with a long-standing commitment to public service & people-centered spaces.
We invite all ages and experiences to join us as we explore rest and restoration.
(Waiver/release required)

Move: Outdoor Yoga with Joy Monzón

Join us for an evening of figure drawing! Artist Stefan Schulz will guide participants through instruction, drawing inspiration from works featured in Lie. Sit. Stand. Be Still.

Studio Night: Action & Rest

Experience the Kemper Museum’s collections through the unique perspectives of Kansas City contemporary artists! Charlotte Street Studio Residents will highlight their favorite objects on view in connection with their own artistic practices.

Beyond the Studio: Poppy DeltaDawn

Embrace slowness, mindfulness, and restoration through Move/Be Still, a mind and body series at Kemper Museum, drawing inspiration from themes in featured exhibition, Lie. Sit. Stand. Be Still.

Be Still: Sound Bath with Laura Frank

Exhibitions are always free thanks to the generosity of members and other donors. Join or donate today to support free access to contemporary art.